Not Applicable.
Devices for mounting sighting equipment, such as scopes or laser sighting equipment are known in the art. These devices are designed to mount a certain configuration and/or size of sighting equipment. For example, prior art devices for mounting scopes having a cylindrically shaped outer peripheral surface are provided with a clamping device having an interior surface which is shaped so as to mate with the cylindrically shaped outer peripheral surface of the scope. This necessitates the prior art device being designed to only securely mount a scope having a predetermined size, such as a one inch diameter. The prior art devices can not securely mount sighting equipment having different sizes, one at a time, onto a weapon.
Weapons having a rail for receiving a scope mount thereon are known in the art. The rail has been provided with a plurality of spaced apart, parallel recesses formed therein so that a recoil pin provided on the scope mount can be disposed in one of the recesses to help prevent movement of the scope mount when the weapon is being fired.
However, to applicants knowledge, an adjustable weapon auxiliary mount which is capable of securely mounting differently sized devices to the weapon, one at a time, is not available. It is to such an improved adjustable weapon auxiliary mount that the present invention is directed.
The present invention relates to an adjustable weapon auxiliary mount for mounting devices of different diameters, one at a time, to a rail of a weapon. The adjustable weapon auxiliary mount is provided with a base, a device clamp and a rail clamp.
The base has a first end, an opposed second end, and a clamping surface formed therebetween.
The device clamp is mounted to the base. The device clamp is provided with a clamping member having a clamping surface facing the clamping surface of the base and spatially disposed therefrom so as to define a receiving space for receiving one device and securely gripping the device. The clamping surfaces of the clamping member and the base are configured to securely grip, one at a time, devices having varying diameters within a predetermined range. The device clamp is also provided with a clamping assembly for connecting the clamping member of the device clamp to the base so as to permit adjustment of the receiving space within a predetermined range and thereby permit the devices having varying diameters within the predetermined range to be securely mounted within the receiving space.
The rail clamp connects the base to the rail of the weapon.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to an adjustable weapon auxiliary mount that mounts onto the rails of certain military and commercial weapons and into which the user may insert a device, such as a flashlight, for example. The adjustable weapon auxiliary mount is designed so that the beam of the flashlight, for example, will align with the barrel of the weapon so that the user can see where he/she is aiming the weapon. Or, the user may mount a device such as a scope for precise fire at longer ranges, such as a sniper might employ. The adjustable weapon auxiliary mount is designed so that when it is installed it does not interfere with the sighting or operating of the weapon. Nor does it interfere with other attached accessories.
In another aspect, the adjustable weapon auxiliary mount can be attached and removed from the weapon without the need for tools. All parts of the adjustable weapon auxiliary mount are captive on the adjustable weapon auxiliary mount. The adjustable weapon auxiliary mount is made so that it can accept any flashlight with a circular barrel whose diameter is within the range of the specific design.